Boeing’s global strike chief Dick Banholzer said the Air Force could conceivably buy some more Boeing-built F-15E fighters. The F-15E is the best of the 4th Generation fighters, but far less capable than the 5th Generation F-22. Even so, said the Boeing official, future force structure studies could recommend acquisition of an additional 50 to 100 Strike Eageles. the Air Force has purchased 236 F-15Es so far. He mentioned that there was briefly interest in using the F-15E as a platform for a standoff jammer, in light of the cold feet toward a possible B-52 SOJ but for the moment “that has all gone quiet.”
If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…
